Claudio Sauza Pinto

Claudio Sauza Pinto was born in Brazil in 1954. He began his exploration into art at the age of four, modeling animals out of clay. By age 11, he was selling his first canvases. Pinto went on to attend Mackenzie Presbyterian University in Sao Paulo, where he earned his Bachelor's degree. He then moved to Paris, where he began to make the first steps in his career as a professional artist.

Each of Pinto's paintings is derived from and inspired by poems that he writes. Claudio then begins the process of creating his paintings by priming and stretching each canvas himself. He uses oil paint on linen to achieve the layers of color in his paintings. Through his use of vibrant colors and surreal compositions, Pinto aims to create a new universe inside each painting. Color and shape are used to emphasize feelings of joy and fantasy, while composition is used to question the value society places on appearance.

Inspired by his encounters in the Opera Garnier in Paris, Claudio created "The Theater of Life", a series of characters that represent daily feelings, in the form of shells of clothing and a mask. His images are a representation of all possible sensations that a person can collect during their life, whether they are sad or joyful. With a humorous play of colors and remarkable characters, his paintings provoke different feelings in each person who admires them. Thus, they revitalize memories, bring joy and create a unique environment. "I transform daily situations with a surrealist filter," says Pinto, "creating fantastic and humorous images."

Claudio Sauza Pinto's work has been displayed throughout the United States, Paris, and Brazil, and can be found in galleries and private collections internationally.